Ark 2 Set for 2028 Launch, While 2027’s Ark: Survival Ascended Will Preview New Mechanics and Features

Studio Wildcard has announced plans to launch Ark 2, the long-awaited sequel to Ark: Survival Evolved, in 2028.

During a presentation for an investor event, co-founder Jeremy Stieglitz provided an in-depth look at the two-year roadmap for Ark: Survival Ascended, the remastered version of Survival Evolved that debuted in 2023. The first major expansion, Lost Colony, is set to release this week, marking the beginning of the roadmap that leads to a significant expansion in Q4 2027 called Legacy of Santiago. This expansion will serve as a testing ground for various concepts intended for the sequel.

“It’s a prequel to Ark 2 that directly connects to its narrative and experiments with many of the mechanics and features of the upcoming game,” Stieglitz explained.

When asked if the roadmap indicates a 2028 release for Ark 2, Stieglitz affirmed, “That’s our intention.” He elaborated that the development of Ark 2 involves a learning process about the technology and mechanics, which they believe is a safer approach than launching a standalone product right away.

Ark 2 was first unveiled at the 2020 Game Awards with an action-packed cinematic trailer featuring Vin Diesel. While Diesel was initially slated to play a significant role, the extent of his involvement remains uncertain. Stieglitz noted that the narrative of the sequel will largely depend on how much time Diesel can commit to the project.

“The question is: How much performance are we going to get from him?” Stieglitz said. “Are we going to get one day, five days, eight hours? The amount of performance we receive will shape how the narrative unfolds. We have a plan for if we get a lot of Vin Diesel, and another for if we get less.”

In the meantime, there are plenty of great survival games to dive into right now.